CampusAssist Brings Anonymous Messaging to University Services

Heartland Payment Systems has launched CampusAssist, a new communications tool designed to help connect students with campus services using anonymous texting.

CampusAssist is built around Heartland's GuestAssist, a communications tool used fairly widely inside and outside of education--at sports stadiums, in airports, and in facilities in both K-12 and higher education institutions.

CampusAssist, offered through the company's Campus Solutions division, provides real-time one-on-one messaging between students and their institutions using the CampusAssist Communications Center--a hosted, centralized communications hub that receives and distributes the messages to the appropriate support staff, such as security, medical, parking, the help desk, or other campus services.

Heartland reported that Canada's Wilfrid Laurier University has signed on as the first adopter of CampusAssist. The university adopted Heartland's technology for use with stadium events and is now "expanding the offering through Heartland for other campus communication needs, including security," according to information released today by the company.

David Nagel is editorial director, education for 1105 Media's Public Sector Media Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal. A 22-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art and business publications.